Her Reflection
by GundamNymph
Summary: Meilin would do ANYTHING for Syaoran. Even die so he can marry Sakura. Can he save her from death? And does he and Sakura REALLY love each other like that? One-shot. *~FINISHED~* MeilinxSyaoran SakuraxYue


Title: Her Reflection  
  
Author: GundamNymph  
  
E-mail: gundamnymph@hotmail.com  
  
Rating: PG-13 to R for suicide  
  
Summary: Meilin would do ANYTHING for Syaoran. Even die so he can marry Sakura. Can he save her from death? And does he and Sakura REALLY love each other like that?  
  
************************************************  
  
Meilin stared at her reflection in the calm waters.  
  
~What are you doing here?  
  
I came to see you! And help you!  
  
Meilin, we've gone over this before! You CAN'T help! You don't have magic! Go home!~  
  
A tear rolls down her cheek, and falls into the water. Ripples form, and extend to the ends of the pond.  
  
~Meilin! I thought I told you to go home! It's not safe here.  
  
I can take care of myself!  
  
Syaoran, why not let her stay? She DID just help us.  
  
Sakura, she doesn't belong here. We're fighting against powerful magicians! She can't help us! She's already been hurt! She'll be doing us a favor by leaving!~  
  
Fiery eyes glance at a wrapped up wrist. Drops of blood are seeping through.  
  
~Do you understand why we need you there?  
  
Yes, sir.  
  
Good. We're glad he's helping the Card Mistress, but we need him home. He has duties to fulfill.  
  
But what of his relationship with Sakura? He loves her.  
  
Li-san, while we think a union between the two would be great and powerful, we need to follow our original plan.  
  
But he doesn't want to marry me. And I don't want to marry him, if he's in love with Sakura.  
  
Meilin.That is a huge sacrifice on your part. And we won't accept it. We need an heir, from the two of you.~  
  
Meilin pulled the ties from her hair, and the ebony hair fell around her like the night sky. She pulls something from her skirt. It's a handle of sorts, beautifully carved and engraved. She mutters two words, and it becomes a long sword, just as beautiful as the handle. She eyes her reflection on the blade.  
  
~Tomoyo, I need help.  
  
Whatever for, Meilin-chan? About Syaoran?  
  
The elders sent me to bring him home.  
  
Why?  
  
He has duties there.and they.they still want him to marry me.Something about the scripts.  
  
Do you want to marry him?  
  
Not if he's in love with someone else.I'd.I'd rather die than force him to do something that awful. He doesn't deserve that. He deserves Sakura.  
  
I know how you feel, Meilin-chan. Is there any way you could get him out of this?  
  
No! Wait, maybe.~  
  
The blade felt heavy and light at the same time in her hands. She had mastered it, unlike so many others. Though she had no magic, she wielded as if she did. The elders were reluctant to give it to her, saying something about how it would mean her death.something about the scripts again. But they had no choice. The blade chose her.  
  
She looked at her reflection in it. She sang.  
  
"Look at me, I will never pass, for a perfect bride.  
  
Or a perfect daughter."  
  
She had always loved her father, until he died when she was eight. He was so proud of her, regardless of her lack of powers. As long as she married Syaoran, she was still his little girl, and she would bring hope to the family.  
  
"Can it be? I'm not meant to play the part???  
  
Now I see, if I were to truly be myself, I would break my family's hearts."  
  
The elders would be crushed if she didn't marry Syaoran. But she couldn't. She couldn't do that to him.  
  
"Who, is that girl I see.staring straight, back at me.  
  
Why is my reflection, someone I, don't know."  
  
She couldn't follow the elders plans anymore. She refused to play their puppet, and ruin Syaoran.  
  
"Somehow, I cannot hide, who I am, though I've tried.  
  
When will my reflection show, who I am, inside??"  
  
She gazed at the ponds clam waters, seeing herself as the elders puppet. Trapped.  
  
"When will my reflection show, who I am, inside????"  
  
She gazed into the blade, truly seeing her real self. She smiled sadly.  
  
~***0***~  
  
"Syaoran-kun!" Tomoyo ran to the tall Chinese teenager.  
  
He turned to regard her with concern in his warm brown eyes. "What is it, Tomoyo?"  
  
"I'm worried about Meilin!"  
  
His eyebrows rose. "Why? I though she said she was returning home?"  
  
"That's what she SAID. She's been acting so."  
  
He smiled. "Irritating?"  
  
"NO!"  
  
He frowned at her. She was REALLY worried. He had learned that she could read people very well. Something must have been REALLY wrong for her to act like this.  
  
"What is it, then?"  
  
"We were talking yesterday, and I haven't known what to do. It's been VERY hard to read her.I think she's planning something drastic."  
  
He looked at her, truly alarmed now. "Like what?"  
  
"She mentioned there might be a way to weasel out of the engagement for you. Do you know what she meant."  
  
"Tomoyo, there are only two ways to dissolve an engagement set by the elders." He was pale now.  
  
"And what are they?"  
  
"One way is for the elders to change their minds. Have they done that?!"  
  
"N-no!" She watched as he took off. She tried to keep up with him.  
  
"What is it?! What is the other way?!" She yelled.  
  
"Death!"  
  
She stopped, and stared after his running figure. She slowly sank to her knees, horror struck. "Surely, she wouldn't-"  
  
~.I would rather die, then force him to. ~  
  
"No. Oh, no. NO."  
  
~***0***~  
  
Meilin smiled, caressing her friend. The elders said the blade had a spirit inside it, created by the original Master of the sword. She believed them. She could see her in her sleep. She concentrated, talking to the blade personally. It formed itself by her command, into a short sword. She held it to her breast, and was ready to plunge it in, when she stopped.  
  
She dropped it, shaking. "I can't. Shiori, I CAN'T."  
  
*What about Syaoran??*  
  
"You're right."  
  
This time she lifted the blade, and it met it's target. At first, she felt no pain. Just shock, and a burning that speared through her chest. Her vision began to gray, and she felt light-headed as her life left her through her veins. She crumbled on the bank, and watched, fascinated, as her blood ran into the pond, changing the color.  
  
She smiled, as she saw her reflection in the pink waters. It was her, and not some stupid puppet. She was free. And so was Syaoran. As her vision became black, she could swear she heard Syaoran calling for her. His voice disappeared, then turned into her father's.  
  
"Papa, I'm home."  
  
~***0***~  
  
"MEILIN? MEILIN!"  
  
He ran through the house, and not finding her, ran outside to the garden. The sight that met him there, made him collapse to his knees. Meilin lay next to the pond, black hair everywhere, and a short sword in her hand. Red liquid covered the ground, and seeped into the pond, slowly painting it red. The koi in there were panicking, skipping the surface, not at all happy with their water.  
  
No.  
  
He got up and ran to her quickly. He picked her up, cradling her. Blood stained her white silk kimono. Her face was calm, as if asleep. Water fell on her cheeks. It took him a moment to realize it was his tears.  
  
He shook his head. "No. No. It can't be. She's too smart. She couldn't do this. No."  
  
He could here yelling somewhere above him, but didn't register Sakura or Tomoyo. All he could see, was her face, the black of her hair, and the red of her blood.  
  
No.  
  
He could see them as children, her playing jump-rope, and him studying. She was always a happy child, trying to open him up, and succeeding somewhat. He could see their parents watching them, with smiles on there faces. He could see Wei smiling as he teased them as they trained.  
  
And now, all he could see was her hurt face as he yelled at her.  
  
More tears appeared on his face as he slowly went into shock. Somewhere, muffled in the background, Yue was talking with his Mistress.  
  
He could see red orange eyes peering up at him joyfully as he handed her a small red bird. Seconds later, her small arms were around him, nearly crushing both him AND the bird.  
  
"Syaoran!"  
  
She had come for a visit, and was sitting beside him, exasperated that he had still yet to hook up with Sakura. He had looked at her imploringly for help. With a small, sad smile, she nodded and gave him a hug.  
  
"SYAORAN!"  
  
They were fighting together against the Twin Card. Still only ten years old, they fought with moves that would have taken anyone else a lifetime. Both were perfectly synchronized. Both defeated the Twin Card, before Sakura Sealed it.  
  
"SYAORAN! We can SAVE HER!!"  
  
Dark eyes snapped to look at Sakura's watery green eyes.  
  
Did he dare to hope that she had just said.  
  
"Syaoran, Yue says I might be able to use Time to reverse this."  
  
He blinked, before nodding. He carefully lay the limp body back on the ground, and brushed back inky black hair from Meilin's pale face. He stood back, looking at Sakura with dead eyes.  
  
Her Key was already out, and she threw out her Time Card.  
  
"Time Card! Return us to fifteen minutes ago! TIME!"  
  
There was a flash of light, and Syaoran was suddenly back at school.  
  
He looked down at himself, and saw that blood no longer coated his uniform. Within seconds, he was running back home, with a speed that would have made the Jump Card proud.  
  
It took him only five minutes to get to the garden at his breakneck speed.  
  
There sat Meilin, unaware that he was there, sitting beside the Koi pond. He snuck up behind her quickly, gazing over her shoulder at the item she held loosely in her hands. Ice grew over his heart at the sight of the handle that killed his best friend.  
  
"Meilin?"  
  
She whirled around at his soft call, just as she extended the blade. Ruby eyes widened in surprise, and she tried to hide the sword.  
  
"Syaoran! What are you doing here?!"  
  
He frowned, and knelt beside her.  
  
"What's wrong? Did something happen to Sakura?!"  
  
He tilted his head to the side, confused and feeling lost.  
  
"Syaoran, you're crying. I've only seen you cry ONCE."  
  
He shook his head, resting his hand on her shoulder. When he spoke, his voice was choked with emotion. "It isn't Sakura, Meilin."  
  
She rested her own hands on his shoulders, and made him face her. "What IS it? What happened?!"  
  
He looked dully at the poorly hidden sword she half sat on. Meilin followed his gaze to it, and stiffened. She looked back at him, opening her mouth, but he cut her off.  
  
"I know what you're about to do, Meilin."  
  
She paled, and let her hands fall from his shoulders.  
  
"You already did it."  
  
"What?" She looked at him, incredulous.  
  
Determined, sorrowful brown eyes met hers.  
  
"You already killed yourself, Meilin. Tomoyo warned me too late. By the time I got here, you were dead."  
  
He sighed brokenly, letting the tears fall.  
  
"Sakura used the Time Card."  
  
Meilin didn't speak, unsure of what to say.  
  
"Why?"  
  
She looked at him startled, her own tears forming.  
  
"Why do something as STUPID as kill yourself?!" Anger was beginning to join the sadness.  
  
"I wanted you to be with Sakura."  
  
"WHY?!"  
  
She flinched. "She loves you, you love her. She'd make you happy. I WANT you to be happy."  
  
"HAPPY?! Do I LOOK happy?!"  
  
She looked away. "You would have gotten over it."  
  
"No."  
  
She looked back at him after the soft declaration.  
  
"Syaoran"  
  
"NO! I would never, COULD never get over something like that! I'm ALREADY scarred for life after what happened twenty minutes ago. Who ARE you to judge your life so lowly!?"  
  
"I wanted you to be happy! The elders wouldn't listen to me! I HAD to- "  
  
"KILL YOURSELF!!? Meilin, I love you. No one could replace you! We already have something Sakura and I could NEVER have. I could never share things with her like I can with you! I would rather marry you than let you kill yourself over what was probably nothing more than a stupid CRUSH!"  
  
Meilin looked at him in shock. "A CRUSH? Syaoran, what you have is MORE than just a-"  
  
"No it isn't! Meilin, as part of the Li clan, we're both in constant danger. We do things to the extreme ALL the time! What I felt for Sakura was nothing more than the love and protectiveness of a brother!"  
  
"You're just saying that so I won't try something! I know-"  
  
"NO! No. You don't. How long has it been since you were last here, ne?"  
  
She blinked, startled. "Over a year, you know that."  
  
"What makes you think that drastic changes haven't happened since then?"  
  
She glared at him challengingly. "Like WHAT?"  
  
He seemed to be making headway here. He let a hand caress her free hair.  
  
"Touya got his act together with Yukito."  
  
Her eyebrow's raised. "So?"  
  
"Yukito and Yue have separated. Sakura no longer has feelings for Yukito."  
  
Meilin opened her mouth, but he beat her to it.  
  
"She's in love with Yue, and Yue, is slowly warming up to her. Eriol, the idiot, finally made his relationship with Tomoyo official. And I, I realized something."  
  
She looked at him, startled with this new information. "What?"  
  
He leaned close to her. "If I had to marry anyone one of you with my own free will, I'd choose you without hesitation."  
  
And he kissed her. She sat there, still with surprise, before pushing him away.  
  
"But, Tomoyo, she-"  
  
"Doesn't know about Yue and Sakura yet. I myself wasn't suppose to know, but it slipped out while we were chasing someone last week."  
  
This time when he kissed her, she didn't pull away.  
  
***************  
  
Tomoyo taped the touching scene with tears running down her cheeks. Finishing up, she turned a glare onto Sakura.  
  
"WHY didn't you tell me about Yue?" She whispered fiercely.  
  
Sakura sweatdropped, and laughed nervously. "I didn't want anyone to know."  
  
"Syaoran knows!"  
  
"It slipped out when Madrian was after us. I would have told you first otherwise. Besides, it's not like he loves me back."  
  
"Oh, ho, ho, ho! Sakura, NO man can resist your charms. We'll just have to work on him. As for Syaoran and Meilin."  
  
"Will they be all right?"  
  
"Well, I don't remember what happened, but I think as long as they stick together she won't try it again."  
  
Sakura looked highly relieved.  
  
"Now, back to Yue."  
  
"What about me?"  
  
Both girls turned with an 'eep' to see the tall Moon Guardian standing behind them, wings still out from flight.  
  
"Yue! What are you doing here?!"  
  
Cat like violet eyes narrowed at his Mistress. "I am a Guardian. Unlike Keroberos, I DID remember what happened to Meilin."  
  
"Oh, so you came to check on Meilin-chan!?" Tomoyo whispered.  
  
Yue nodded. "That and to see how Sakura is faring."  
  
Tomoyo looked at her friend in concern. "Why?"  
  
"Hoe?" Sakura blinked, confused.  
  
Seconds later, Yue was holding a passed out teenage Sorceress.  
  
Tomoyo's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh, my."  
  
A/N: Yet ANOTHER fic I started a lifetime ago, and am now polishing off. 


End file.
